The 2024 Fiat 500e is a small electrical three-door hatchback that appears remarkably just like the earlier Fiat 500, bought within the U.S. from the 2012 via 2019 mannequin years. This one’s provided solely as a battery-electric car (therefore the “e”), at the least for the second. However Fiat plans to promote it as a vogue accent as a lot as a small sensible, short-range EV.
We drove the 500e via Miami visitors for 3 hours final week, giving us an opportunity to pattern certainly one of its robust factors: fast cut-and-thrust city driving. Whereas it has nowhere close to the rocket-ship acceleration provided by some EVs, it’s peppy sufficient—and sufficiently small to sneak into areas even compact SUVs can’t handle.
Sadly, we weren’t capable of take a look at whether or not the brand new 500e retains the entertaining and pleasant dealing with of its predecessor, the 2013-2019 500e, which was bought solely in California and Oregon. Miami is totally flat and remarkably congested. We obtained precisely one massive sweeping activate a ramp over a freeway; it did advantageous. However till we get it into some correct hills and twisties, we will’t totally evaluate its driving conduct.
General, the 500e is a enjoyable little EV at an affordable worth: The ‘Purple’ base mannequin begins at $34,095. Its EPA-rated vary of 149 miles might delay some consumers who ought to contemplate it extra critically. Given its small dimension and its vary, Fiat execs are reasonable once they say the brand new 500e “didn’t come to be a gross sales chief”—that means it could be uncommon in some areas of the nation. As a substitute, the automotive will “take a look at and be taught what Fiat desires to be within the U.S.”
2024 Fiat 500e
2024 Fiat 500e
2024 Fiat 500e
Immediately, clearly a Fiat 500
The brand new 2024 Fiat 500e is immediately, identifiably a Fiat 500. Barely bigger than the earlier era—2.4 inches longer, 2.2 inches wider—it shares the identical upright-coupe profile and quick, stubby nostril. The entrance finish has the identical “moustache” form, although the spherical headlights are literally a semi-circle within the entrance panel with a lit arc lower into the hood to complete the form. Bigger wheels with pretty low-profile tires, now 17 inches vs the earlier mannequin’s 15 inches, preserve the little Fiat proportional however add extra of an grownup really feel.
Inside, the inside is essentially shades of black plastic, with a repeating Fiat emblem within the grey seat inserts. A lot of the plastics are exhausting, not soft-touch, although textured to make them a bit extra fashionable. Purple plastic on the sprint of our pink take a look at automotive recalled the steel dashboard of the unique 500, up to date for security rules that didn’t exist 60 years in the past.
2024 Fiat 500e
A 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster is commonplace, as is a ten.3-inch central touchscreen show with a UConnect 5 radio. The drive mode and radio quantity controls are on the middle console.
The 2024 Fiat 500e won’t ever exchange a household SUV, but it surely’s not meant to. It makes a superbly good second automotive, commuter automotive, or maybe major car for a single driver or couple dwelling in tight city quarters.
500e vary and acceleration: Match for the town
The battery capability is 42 kilowatt-hours (37 kwh usable), utilizing Samsung cells made in Poland. It powers an 87-kilowatt (117-horsepower) motor driving the entrance wheels, with quoted torque of 162 lb-ft. The brand new 500e has no entrance trunk; the house beneath the hood is occupied by the 12-volt battery, charging gear, the ability electronics, and naturally the motor.
2024 Fiat 500e
It’s pretty apparent Fiat might drop a transverse engine and transmission into the house if it chooses to. Rumors counsel it should. However for now, the 2024 500 is electric-only.
There’s no “Begin” or “energy” button; the automotive is able to transfer as soon as the driving force its down and has buckled the seat belt. Park, Reverse, Impartial, or Drive are chosen utilizing flat black buttons on the decrease fringe of the central sprint (under a handy cellphone charging pocket). One “shock and delight” characteristic of which Fiat could be very proud: under 20 mph, the automotive broadcasts the necessary pedestrian alert sound. However the first time it exceeds 20 mph, it performs a customized musical theme Fiat calls “The Music of 500”. It was exhausting to listen to even with the home windows open (driving subsequent to a strong concrete wall helps mirror it again), but it surely’s positively there.
Fiat quotes a 0-to-60-mph acceleration time of 8.5 seconds, however the 0-to-30-mph time which may be extra helpful in city jousting is simply 3.1 seconds. Generally, it’s totally appropriate for city use—although we will’t assist however surprise about an Abarth model that may be rather a lot punchier and extra enjoyable. There’s nothing to say on that entrance right now, Fiat execs stated firmly. High velocity is 94 mph.
2024 Fiat 500e
It has three driving modes: Regular, Vary, and Sherpa. Regular makes the EV behave like a combustion-engined automotive, with low regenerative braking.
Then there’s Vary, which boosts regen and permits one-pedal driving all the way down to a cease—you probably have plenty of house. We discovered the 500e’s regenerative braking fairly mild. It took some follow to be taught when to carry off to get the automotive to sluggish itself all the way down to a cease; the primary few instances, it decelerated in such a leisurely means, we stomped on the brake to keep away from the automotive forward. It’s totally learnable, however extra highly effective EVs have extra highly effective regen—which isn’t the case right here.
Lastly, the Sherpa mode equates to an Eco mode, lowering energy from 87 kw (117 hp) to 67 kw (90 hp), switching off all heating and cooling (you’ll be able to change it again on), and capping most velocity at barely greater than 50 mph. Sherpa mode isn’t as unhealthy as you may think, so long as you drive it aggressively—and don’t must go greater than 50 mph.
Sherpa mode may need been advantageous for your entire route Fiat had us drive with the 500e, which was totally in city visitors, masking simply 30 miles, and as much as simply 50 mph. Over that distance, I introduced the 100% battery cost all the way down to 81%, and the vary estimate, which had been 119 miles at first of the journey, was 116 miles after the journey. That is, in fact, the perfect driving situations for profiting from the 500e’s vary.
Whereas the efficiency is sufficient, the automotive excels in tight areas. With a turning circle of simply 31.5 ft, it’s straightforward to sneak into small parking areas. And with a curb weight of solely 2,950 kilos (50 kilos lighter than the final, smaller 500e), it doesn’t really feel huge behind the wheel.
2024 Fiat 500e
2024 Fiat 500e
2024 Fiat 500e
500e seats two adults, two tiny individuals, and one drink
Moving into the 500e is a matter of compacting the electrical launch beneath the door “deal with” slot. Novices should be taught that to exit the automotive, they should press the spherical button on high of the door arm-rest to launch the electrical latch. As soon as inside, drivers will discover they sit excessive sufficient over the battery pack that they really feel much less susceptible than they’d in a lower-slung automotive of the identical dimension. Stellantis’ head of inside design, it seems, is 6’8”—and he suits into the five hundred, that means there’s loads of headroom.
The rear seat has a cupholder in the midst of the decrease cushion, underscoring the automotive’s (nominal) four-seater designation. Whereas its rear seat is bigger than the final era’s, that’s relative: You continue to received’t match 4 American-size adults inside for something wanting punishment.
The upright seating and good outward visibility over the quick, beveled nostril give the automotive extra presence from inside than it could have on the road. Solely when trying on the small solar visors or the tiny little “modesty panel” to cowl a 5-inch slot exhibiting the contents of the load bay is the 500e’s small dimension bolstered. The rear seatbacks don’t fold flat, although; they simply tilt ahead.
2024 Fiat 500e
One main flaw within the new 500e inside: There’s solely a single cup holder, which folds down into the tunnel from the bottom of the console. For those who’re carrying a passenger who additionally has a cup of espresso, certainly one of you is out of luck. The Fiat workforce assured us they’re nicely conscious of this and are engaged on a quick repair. Nonetheless, it appears a silly oversight, for the reason that earlier 500e had two of them—and that Fiat has had 4 years for the reason that European model was launched to deal with this.
Neither the NHTSA nor the IIHS has but rated the 2024 Fiat 500e for crash security, and given its probably low quantity, these scores might not emerge for a while if ever. The brand new Fiat has seven airbags, and a raft of automated driver-assistance programs together with computerized emergency braking, lane-keeping help, and blind-spot and pedestrian alerts.
The 500e’s adaptive cruise management will work all the way down to 0 mph when you be taught it; the automotive reads and shows speed-limit indicators; and it’ll additionally learn and show different visitors indicators when cruise management is engaged. Fiat guarantees “Stage 2 ADAS” on the “Impressed” trim ranges—that means some degree of lively lane management along with that, offering the driving force stays attentive—however we weren’t capable of take a look at these fashions, so we will’t weigh in on the way it works.
2024 Fiat 500e
Particular version “drops”—like sneakers
The bottom Fiat 500e mannequin for 2024 is the ‘Purple’ trim. Accessible in pink, white, and black as precise exterior colours, the ‘Purple’ label refers to a charity tie-in that helps Product Purple, which raises cash to fund analysis into HIV and AIDS.. Except for exterior coloration, the 500e ‘Purple’ mannequin solely presents a single choice: Goodyear summer time tires or Pirelli all-season tires.
Fiat has leaned into the thought of the electrical 500 as a vogue accent and elegance icon. In keeping with Fiat’s North American model head, Aamir Ahmed, the corporate will announce a “drop” of a restricted version model two or 3 times annually, out there just for a brief interval—echoing the mannequin used efficiently for high-fashion sneakers and different items. Video adverts that includes Spike Lee, Giancarlo Esposito, and different icons reinforce the fashion method.
The primary two particular editions are “Impressed by Magnificence” (in Rose Gold) and “Impressed by Music” (the Tuxedo Black one, which provides a seven-speaker JBL audio system with audio traits of 4 ‘digital venues’ in-built). They are often ordered right now, with deliveries within the third quarter.
The ‘Purple’ version of the 2024 Fiat 500e carries a base worth of $32,500 plus a compulsory $1,595 supply charge, for a bottom-line sticker worth of $34,095. “Impressed” variations add $3,500 to that. Its closest competitor is the Mini Cooper SE, additionally a three-door hatchback, with a spread of simply 114 miles. With the Chevrolet Bolt EV vary now defunct, the Kia Niro EV and Hyundai Kona Electrical are barely pricier, however each provide 4 doorways and ranges of greater than 200 miles.
2024 Fiat 500e
Small automotive, massive charging
Regardless of a smallish battery, the 500e can fast-charge at as much as 85 kilowatts, so charging from 0 to 80 p.c can take as little as 35 minutes beneath excellent circumstances. The extra probably residence charging by way of an 11-kw Stage 2 station takes six hours for a cost from 0 to 100%. On a regular 120-volt wall socket, the 500e will cost from 5 to 100% in 37 hours. The cost port is on the right-rear nook, and the charging wire is housed beneath the cargo-bay flooring.
Fiat will provide patrons the selection of both a Stage 2 charging station (the customer pays to put in it) or $600 of free charging by way of networks which are a part of the Stellantis Free2Move system (though collaborating networks for the U.S. haven’t but been introduced).
No warmth pump is obtainable, although the cabin is sufficiently small that resistance heating is probably not as power-hungry as in bigger autos. Heated seats are provided, however not a heated steering wheel.
2024 Fiat 500e
All 2024 Fiat 500e automobiles are constructed on the firm’s Mirafiori manufacturing unit exterior Turin—as proven in a molding inside every door’s inside arm-rest, which says “Made in Torino” with a silhouette of an authentic 500. Which means they don’t qualify for a U.S. federal buy incentive, although leasing the automotive restores the complete credit score. The 500e nonetheless qualifies for a lot of state and native incentives.
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Fiat supplied airfare, lodging, and meals to allow Inexperienced Automobile Reviews to deliver you this first-person drive report.
